Tlte Begi1znings of Civilized Life in Texas, I7JI-IJ45
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the San Antonio River, and to subdivide the land formerly occupied by this section into lots, which were to be sold for twelve reales ( one and one-half dollars) each. 61 Urged by the pressure of actual circumstances and despairing of getting a settlement of the various questions that had arisen, the C abildo and Father Fray Benito Fernandez de Santa Ana held a solemn meeting on August 14, 1745, to reach an amicable agreement of all the difficulties between the Canary Islanders and the five missions. The Cabildo explained how it had requested the viceroy, through its representatives now in l\'lexico, that he grant permission to use mission Indians on the farms of the settlers paying them a daily wage; that he order the captains of the presidio to purchase all corn and other supplies from the Villa de San Fernando; that the five missions be reduced to two in order to prevent damage caused by mission cattle; and that the settlers be allowed to trade freely and directly with the neophytes. Father Benito pointed out that there were explicit laws protecting the rights of the Indians and the missions, that would make impossible the pretensions of the Villa and proposed a friendly settlement of all difficulties in order "to prevent the long delays and the unavoidable expenses involved in such disputes ... and for the sake of concord and peace." It was agreed, therefore, that the Canary Islanders would desist from their demand that grain and supplies be not purchased from the missions and from their request to use Indian labor on their farms. The missionaries on their part desisted from their counterclaims and recognized the right of the Villa to all lands west of the San Antonio River. It was decided that the missions were to extend no farther in this direction and that they were to recognize the distance between the house of Juan Banul and Mission Valero as a neutral zone between the lands of the Villa and those of the missions. At a later date, when more convenient, the two parties planned to survey and examine the land to the north of a stream that flowed from the Llano de las Viboras. This was to be divided by a line running north and south and all that portion lying to the west was to belong to the Villa and that portion to the east to the missions. It was further resolved that neither party was to bring new demands against the other either jointly or individually. Since some of the questions settled by the con- ference were still pending before the viceroy for official adjudication, it was solemnly agreed by the two contracting parties that should a decision be made by that official before the case was withdrawn, favoring one or
61 Autos de Cabildo, Nacogdoches Archives, vol. J, pp. 98-99.
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